To improve access to water in rural areas.

Year	Population	Number of people living in rural areas	Number of people in rural areas with access to water above RDP levels	Percentage of people living in rural areas with access to water above RDP levels
1994	38 901 307	16 742 749	7 433 489	44.4%
1995	39 627 904	16 968 748	7 546 311	44.5%
1996	40 374 427	17 199 597	7 665 591	44.6%
1997	41 141 459	17 435 564	7 804 554	44.8%
1998	41 929 619	17 676 584	8 082 143	45.7%
1999	42 738 841	17 922 277	8 611 244	48.0%
2000	43 571 006	18 173 897	9 075 155	49.9%
2001	44 428 214	18 432 729	9 493 152	51.5%
2002	45 499 932	18 734 515	10 936 531	58.4%
2003	46 193 756	18 948 378	10 738 733	56.7%
2004	47 137 186	19 234 806	12 231 153	63.6%
2005	48 081 466	19 519 248	13 469 052	69.0%
2006	48 606 643	19 648 098	14 070 338	71.6%
2007	48 897 554	19 765 269	14 914 433	75.5%
2008	49 447 753	19 921 962	15 686 628	78.7%

  Source:  Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Water Services National Information System, available at www.dwaf.gov.za

In those rural areas where water supply existed, drinking water quality was often poor and could not be considered safe for human consumption. The resulting impact on primary health was significant with diarrhoea being responsible for some 25% of all deaths in the one to five group and an annual estimated 43 000 deaths and 3 million incidences of illness.

Since 1994, South Africa has made remarkable process towards providing its population with access to basic water supply infrastructure equal to or above RDP levels. In 1994 only 61.7% of households had access to basic water services and this figure has increased to 87.2% of households in 2007. As of 2006 there were approximately 3.3 million people with no access to water and a further 4.9 million people with access to water below RDP levels. This indicator is important as it visually indicates population growth within South Africa as well as provides an indication of whether access to basic water has improved within the country. Target 10 of Goal 7 of the Millennium Development Goals requires a halving of the proportion of households without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.